Australia invests $499.67m to support RAAF’s P-8A Poseidons

The Australian Department of Defence has invested A$659m ($499.67m) for the development of new security infrastructure at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh, South Australia.

The new funding will help support the RAAF’s advanced anti-submarine and surveillance aircraft, P-8A Poseidon.

Of the total amount, A$250m ($189.55m) will be invested in a Boeing training simulator system at RAAF Base Edinburgh and the remaining A$409m ($310.11m) will be used to improve base facilities for full operations.

The base facilities upgrade project is estimated to be completed by early-2019.

The advanced training systems will allow the RAAF to better prepare aircraft pilots and defence force personnel for real-life scenarios.

“The new investment will help generate more than 70 new job opportunities and support the local economy.”

Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne said: “The simulator will be a part of a broader investment at RAAF Edinburgh to make it ‘Poseidon ready’ by extending the runway and building new state-of-the-art maintenance hangars and facilities.”

The new investment will help generate more than 70 new job opportunities and support the local economy as part of a broader, long-term plan to enhance the operations of the Edinburgh airbase.

Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said: “Lendlease, the contractor engaged by Defence to construct the facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh, has advised that the vast majority of the work to construct the facilities is going to contractors from the local area.”

The Australian Government is acquiring 12 P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which will be delivered by March 2020 and based at RAAF Base Edinburgh.